Going over 41.5 weeks pregnant is not for the weak of spirit, let me tell you.
Not only am I physically uncomfortable (oh hey, contractions every 10 minutes for days and days and days) but I’m getting mentally tired, too.
Everyone wants to know where the baby is. (Answer: swimming away in my womb, happy as can be! There’s no way this little guy/gal got out without me noticing.)
Alternate answer: This baby hasn’t been born because labor hasn’t started yet – simple as that!
The thing is, most people I know consider Baby Beni to be very late. But I do not.
Baby Beni is going to come when (s)he is ready, and my body knows what it’s doing. I was made for this. The average woman carries her first baby for 41 weeks and 1 day, and I’m only a few days over that. I would barely consider that ‘late’.
(mug)
I think with so many OBs inducing patients, we (as a society) assume that moms just won’t/can’t go many days past her due date. However, my OB and I agree that induction is not medically necessary for me at this point in time. Plus, I’m very excited to be trying for a VBAC, so we won’t be scheduling a c-section at this point, either.
I’m very aware that the vast majority of women who have a c-section decide to schedule one for subsequent births (and I always find it puzzling that so many people assume a woman must schedule a c-section if they’ve already had one). However, I absolutely hated my first c-section and recovery and am dedicated to doing everything in my power not to repeat that experience unless it becomes medically necessary. Does it mean that a c-section won’t happen? Of course not. But I won’t be choosing that procedure at this point.
Our current birth plan is to go with the flow and monitor the baby frequently. As long as both of our bodies are tolerating this pregnancy well, we’ll be patiently waiting for labor to start… and then who knows what might happen?! The goal is to end this journey with a healthy baby and a healthy mom and hopefully some empowering memories.
I realize that everyone has a different approach to the end of pregnancy, but Tim’s and my approach is to let things happen as naturally as possible and with as few interventions as we need. This goal isn’t a guarantee (because there definitely are no guarantees when it comes to labor and delivery!), but no matter what unfolds in the next few days, my ultimate goal is to know/feel that I did the best I could for both myself and my baby – which is all I can ask of myself!
So yes, I’m still pregnant. Very pregnant. I feel a little impatient and overwhelmed, but also very at peace. People keep commenting that I seem content for someone who is almost 42 weeks pregnant, and all I can say about this is that I’m not in a rush and I know that God has a plan for Baby Beni’s arrival. I feel best knowing that Baby Beni will pick his/her own birth date, and I cannot wait to know when that date is!
(But seriously, baby o’ mine, I am ready to meet you! Come out already!)
